Thursday, August 5, 2010

Sisters: The Shape of Love

I'd like to introduce you to three of my favorite people in the whole, wide, entire, planet.
Maybe the galaxy.


I get to go spend time with them next week and I am beside myself with excitement.

I'm the oldest. Lisa came along a couple of years later. We shared a room our entire childhood. There were times we were best friends and other times we merely coexisted. Pretty much amicably. 

She got married soon after I did and never traveled much so our grown-up relationship depended on a few phone calls here and there. I've always admired her for her bravery, endurance, and her faith. Now she's making up for lost travel time - can't wait until she finally gets to come visit me.

She has the most beautiful voice. She's always been very talented. She could draw, back when I only secretly wished I could. Then again - she practiced and I didn't. Of course she learned to draw. She has always been beautiful. 

She has a smile a mile wide, lets her hairdresser do anything he feels like doing, and loves being just a little bit insane. I love her.


Amber is ten years younger than me. I don't think she was out of elementary school when I went away to college so I didn't really get to know her as a friend until much later when she got to come visit, then live with us for several months.

I've always seen her as someone who thinks and feels things very deeply, who seems to know what she wants and is willing to work to get there. And the things she wants are beautiful - making the world a better place.

She plays piano amazingly well, sings, dances, and just this week earned her masters of music education.




Lindsey was only 6 years old or so when I moved out. She's always been a little nuts - in a good way. Very silly, very confident, very outspoken. Fearless. I think it comes from having nine people doting on you from the time you were born. (Parents, Grandma, five sibs - yup - two brothers in the middle.)

I remember coming home for a visit after a couple of years living across the country (this is pre-e-mail) and being sent to pick her up at school. This gorgeous blond was sitting on her violin case on the curb. I didn't even recognize my own sister. I tried not to cry.

She plays violin, designs and creates beautiful jewelry, and still makes me laugh.


These women are people I admire, respect and love. They live much, much, too far away. Of course I was the first one that took off across the country - far from home. Now we are scattered from coast to coast. Nobody in my family lives closer than 7 hours from each other. 

We've had two "sisters" trips in our adult lives. We always sing. The three of them are involved in musical theater. I'm the hack among 'em but if I do say so - we sound pretty cool. Sometimes we sing goofy camp songs. Sometimes English madrigals. Last time we learned some early american folk songs. I'm bringing along some Andrews Sisters charts.

We always spend a day dressing up and playing with our cameras. This photo is the basis for one of my favorite pieces. Some time soon (which for me is any time in the next five years) I'm going to work up a very long series of artworks based on our relationships.

So you'll understand if I'm a bit distracted. Kind of like a puppy dog with two little tails to wag I'm so giddy with anticipation. I'll try to post some pictures. I am truly blessed to have these women in my life. We talk and skype all the time now but we only get to see each other every few years. It's not enough. 

51" x 51"
2005 by Lyric Kinard

Psalm to By Beloved by Eunice Tietjens
can be read in its entirety here

18 comments:

Unknown said...

A beautiful post Lyric!

you are so lucky to have such a strong relationship with your sisters!

Enjoy!

Hugz

Jeannie said...

Oh, this is so wonderful. I am excited for you and your sisters (and a little envious!). Have a wonderful time! The photos are beautiful.

Linda Robertus said...

Enjoy your time with your sisters next week! It must be wonderful to have such a strong bond with them, even though you live far apart.
I am an only child and have always wished for siblings...

Maggi said...

What a wonderful relationship you have. Like Linda I am an only child and too have always wished for siblings. Have a wonderful time together.

Lisa said...

You made me cry!!! Thank you, sis!! I love you!!!

Unknown said...

Absolutely fabulous lyric! I love that first pic with all your sisters, it is so beautiful. Have a great time with lots of laughs, love and tender moments, enjoy.

Amberlynn said...

What a coincidence. These are also some of my favorite people in the entire universe! AND, I can't wait to see them either. :)
LOVE YOU!

brohammas said...

First, the faces in that quilt are wonderfully executed. The heavy lidded eyes repeated with all four adds a touch of style that makes this my favorite of your quilted faces.
Second, you make all those gals sound pretty cool... maybe I should keep in better touch (easy, I know you are cool and thats not why I'm an email bum).

JAnderegg said...

Lyric, this is beautiful...and the tribute amazing! Your family is so talented! What a privilege to have "grown up" with your family! You will always be dear to my heart!

Susan Brubaker Knapp said...

Thanks so much for sharing this, Lyric! You are all lucky to have each other. What a beautiful bunch of women (inside and out, it sounds like). And it adds so much meaning to your artwork to know the people behind it.

Lisa Chin said...

Sisters are so wonderful! I keep reminding my girls of this blessing every time they have an argument. ;)

Love the beautiful quilt and poem. What fabulous pictures of you all!

Catherine Parkinson said...

Lovely post Lyric.....Makes me feel how lucky I am having my 3 sisters so close (within 40 mins of each other) Enjoy the time you have together.

colorific said...

So wonderful Lyric. I always felt that I missed out not having siblings. So great for them to have you write this. So great for you all to have each other. Wishing you a wonderful trip!

Jane LaFazio said...

oh my goodness! a beautiful post indeed and beautiful sisters. how lucky they are to have you in their lives.

Amberlynn said...

BTW, I will be revising the song I composed to this poem so that it's easier and eventually will find a good choir to sing it. That will be a glorious day. :)

Anonymous said...

I love love love this... I have a sister.. we are 7 years apart. She is the older sister. 6 years ago I talked her into buying a sewing machine right after I bought mine. She did.. And now we quilt and go to shows together.. We have something in commom.. it is just wonderful...

Tracie Lyn Huskamp said...

Lyric.. your tribute to your sisters is BEAUTIFUL... I have only one sister... and I miss her terribly. She lives far away and we hardly get to see each other...

she is deep into raising a teenager and young adult so our time is even more limited. I long for the days when we can be together more.

Jill said...

Wow. this is indeed a beautiful post. I feel a sense of tragedy that you all are so far apart but maybe...it's what draws your hearts together.